Breakable building form



Aug-31, 1948- F. w. BLANCHARD 2,448,294

` BREAKABLE BUILDING FORM l Original Filed May 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /4 TTO/QNEYS.

Aug 31, 1948 F. w. BLANCHARD 2,448,294

` BREAKABLE BUILDING FORM 'Original Filed May 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l, ,df ffy, 6, /f/

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Patented Aug. 31,' 1948 ,Y

FrancisnWrBlanchard Snyder, NY., assgnor to v Hewitt Rubber Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

original applicatipnrMay 26, 1941, serial No.

y 395,160. ,Divided an vThis invention relatesto lbreakable 'building forms for use in connection with-the buildingof tanks or containers for gasoline, ofilpor other liquids, and which are'formed of a number vof layers of flexible materials. Tanks 'of this type are, for example, employed as fuel and oil tanks fo-r airplanes and may be of the rtype which when punctured by a bullet orother meansseal the hole made in the wall ofthe tank.

This is a Idivision of copending'application for patent Ser, No, 395,160, filed May 26, 1941,"now Patent No. 2,426,384. r r Tanks of this type of large size have heretofore been built ,about `sectional metal forms, the sections of `which are removably secured together so that these sections can, after the construction' of thegtank is completed, be taken apart Within the tank and removed through openings in the tank.- This method of Ibuilding tanks is, v

building such tanks,and which are readily break- ,A

able after the building of the tank yis completed so that the fragments of the for-ms can be removed through y'openings in the tanks. A Y Containers olf this type are generally provided in the walls thereof with a plurality of fittings through which access may be had to the interior of the tank, such-ttingsbe-ing in the forms of annular seatsor bushings for hand holes and gages, flanged tubular parts' for*connection `with inlet, discharge,fvent or drainage ducts, lan-d the like. In many of :the tanks or containers soixne or lall o-f these flttings'mus-t be accurately located in order to permit installation .of the tank on a plane or Vehicle. i ff Another object of this invention is to Aprovide forms of this type with Vsuitable openings therein in registration with the openings to be formed in the tank. vA further object of this invention is to provide forms of this type having openings which `.are located so -that they maybe usedV for the locating of bushings and other fittings of thetank. f.

Another object yof this invention is' to provide breakable building forms for use in the construction of tanks, which forms are so made afs-.to posi# tio-n accurately any'baflles which may be built into the tanks. It is also an object of this invention to provide breakable building 'form-s constructed inl sections so that a baille tobe secured -in the tank may be positioned between and secured. in )Planeta-y'said''sectionsl f "l l d this applicationJuly 19, v194.5, Serial No. 605,905

1 d'5 claims. (c1. ifi-45V 2 Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings: l

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a breakable form embodying thisinvention, the form shown being in sections bolted together.

Fig.' 2 is a top plan viewfthereof, partly in section. v

VFig.' 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof, `on an enlarged scale, showing portions of twoY adjacent sec-tions about to be vsecured together with a -baie lor partition spaced between them.

i Fig. 4 isa fragmentary section, on a still larger scale, of an edge `portion of a baffle.

- Fig. 5 isa transverse sec-tional elevation, on. line Fig. 2, of a breakable form embodying this invention,` land showin-g a layer of the tank applied to the form.

Fig. 6 is a similar View showing a complete tank constructed about the breakable form.

Fig. 7 is ya, fragmentary sectional view thereof, on an enlarged scale, on line 1 1, Fig. 6, yand showing the manner of securing a fitting, such as a hand hole, in place on the tank.

Fig. 8 is :a fragmentary sectional view of the tank after the yremoval-of the building form and showing another type of fitting of the tank.

Fig. 9 lis la perspective View, on a reduced scale, ofr a break-able form of unitary or single-piece construction, showing 1a portion thereof broken away.

- In the building of the tanks Vof flexible material capable of sealing holes made by penetration through the walls of the tanks by bullets or the like, some rigid forms must be employed to maintain the flexible layers of which the tank walls are formed in approximately correctpositions, and I have found that the construction of tanks or containers of this type is greatly facilitat'ed by the use of building forms made of breakable material of such a nature that when broken, the material of the breakable forms can be removed through hand holes or similar openings in the tanks without cutting or damaging the same. These 'breakable building forms may be made of a single material or of a plurality of materials and may be built of one or more layers or plies. For example, these breakable forms' may be made 'of various materials including paper,v paper pulp, gypsum, Portland cernent,resinous plastic materials, or of combinations of these materials. VThe breakable forms must have sufcient strength tobe able to withstand the uses 'to which the forms are put during the vbuilding of the tanks, for example, such :pressures as may be applied to cement adjacent layers or edges of materials together, and to permit the forms to be readily handled, without danger of breaking them during the fabricating of the tanks. I have, for example, found that very satisfactory forms for small and medium sized tanks can be made by the combination of one or more layers or sheets of paper pulp reinforced with or covered with plaster of Paris or other material which penetrates the paper and which, when solidified, reinforces the paper. Various forms of -cement can be substituted for plaster of Paris. It is also possible to make breakable building vforms of plaster of Paris only, or of other cements without the use of paper, or of paper only. ''Iv'he'lzareakable building forms should, of course, not 'be made of glass or similar material, which, when broken, would have sharp edged or pointed fragments which might cut or puncture the inner layer or surface of the tank or container and the hands of persons trying to remove Vthe fragments from the tank or container.

It is, of course, desirable to make these breakable building forms as llight as possible so that they can be more readily handled during the construction of the tanks about the forms. The thickness of the walls of the breakable forms should be such as to provide the necessary strength and support during fabrication of the container, but weak enough so that the building form can be broken when the container is completed, and removed in fragments through the hand holes or other openings'in the container. These breakable building forms may be provided with Yany suitable bracesor reinforcing members of suchdimensions that they `can easily be removedfrom hand holes or other openings in the finished containers.

These breakable building forms may be made in any suitable or desiredlmanner. For example, these breakable forms may be made in molds of the correct form. In order to make these molds, an initial form mayrst be made of any Isuitable material having the shape 'of the interior of the finished tankor container to be constructed. This initial form may have-any'depressions or recesses formed on the outer surface thereof which are to be reproduced in the final breakable building forms. rihis initial form is then used for forming amold in which thefinal breakable forms are to be made. This mold may be made of any suitable or desired material. For example, this mold may be made of clay which'may be formed by molding the clay, while plastic, by pressing it against the initial form. This clayis then hardened or'fired to produce themold in which the nal breakable forms are to be cast or otherwise formed. This mold may, of course, be formed in a number of sections or parts 'adapted to be secured together during the molding of the breakable forms and then separated to release the forms. The breakable forms may be made in these molds, either by pouring plastic material into the molds, by trowelling the same against the Walls of the molds, or by laying the paper, wood'pulp or other material against the interior surfaces of these molds and then applying plasterv of Paris or other cement thereto. Preferably, the mold is so made than one wall'of the'breakable form is omitted therefrom, so that when the parts of the mold are in operative relation to one another, the mold is accessible through "the open side thereof, and if the final breakable form `-requires that the open side thereof be closed, awall for such open side can then be applied to the other Walls of the breakable form -by means of plaster, adhesive or in other ways. After the breakable building forms are removed from the molds, any irregularities or defects can be readily corrected and, if desired, the exterior surfaces of the forms may be painted or coated with additional plaster or other material. They are preferably also dusted or coated with a composition to which materials used during the manufacture of the containers will not become permanently attached.

Any other manner of constructing the breakable forms may, of course, be provided, if desired.

yThese breakable forms may be made of hollow 1- su'bstantially unitary or one-piece structure, as `shown in Fig. 9, or they may be made in sections or parts which maybe secured together. The sectional forms may be employed whenever it is more convenient to use the same because of the size or shape of the container, and in cases where bafes or partitions are required in the tank to prevent surging or rapid flow of liquid from one end of the tank tothe other. In Figs. 1 to 3, and 5 to 7, I havefillustrated a breakable form for Vuse in connection with a tank having two transverse bales or partitions built into the same. Consequently, the breakable form as shown in these figures is divided transversely into three separable sections or parts I, II and I2. The parts or sections I0 and I2 are open at one end only and the-part I I is open at both ends and the open ends of these parts are secured together so as to produce a substantially closedbreakable form, about which the layers of material of the tank or container may be placed. Each vof the three'parts or sections of the breakable form vis provided with a hand hole I4 in the upper wall thereof and any number of additional holes Aor depressions required for placing fittings on the tank may be provided. For example, the middle section II is provided with a hole I5 which may be employed to locate a tting for accommodating a gage. The part I2 of the tank is provided with a hole I6 for accommodating an inlet fitting through which the tank will be filled with liquid. The parts or sections I8 and I2 of the tank are provided with small holes I'I into which Vent fittings may extend. These holes for accommodating the fittings may be accurately located on the breakable forms so that the forms may be -used for correctly locating the various fittings on the tank, or if desired, these openings may be larger than actually required and positionedfapproximately in the correct positions of the fittings in case the fittings of the tank are to be located by means other than the breakable forms.

The sections or parts of the breakable `form may be secured together in any suitable or desired manner, and suitable attaching members may be secured to the parts' of the forms to facilitate the correct assembly of the parts. In the construction illustrated, each section or part of the breakable form is provided at its open end or ends with transversely extending bars or strips 20, vwhich vmay be provided with accurately positioned holes 2I for bolts 22 or other securing means. These bars may, for example, be of wood and may be nailed or otherwise'secured to the sections or parts of the forms at the open ends thereof in such a manner that when the holes 2I in two adjacent strips are in registration so that bolts maybe passed through the holes as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sections of the breakable form will be accurately located relatively to each other. .These strips or attachvouter surfaces of the breakable forms.

the breakable forms may be more readily done` by building them in sections. When the parts or sections of the breakable forms` are secured together, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the building of the tanks about the forms may be started.

When it is desired to construct the tanks with baffles or partitions therein, the bolts 22 connecting the adjacent forms are removed and a baffle is then inserted between adjacent parts or sections of a form, as indicated in Fig. 3. These baffles may be of any suitable ordesired construction, those shown being formed of a number of plies of suitable material which form the transverse Wall 25 of the baffle or partition. The edges of the lbaffles or partitions should extend to the outer surfaces of the breakable forms, and the edges of the baffles may be folded over as indicated at 26 to form one or more anges. If desired, these lianges may be reinforced by strips 21 of fiber or other stiffening material. If the baiiies or partitions are used in tanks which contain gasoline, oil, or the like, the portions of the baiiies which are exposed to the contents of the tank' must, of course, be made of material which is inert with reference to the liquidto be contained in the tank.

The bafiles are so constructed that the flanges 26 thereof t about the louter surfaces of the breakable forms, rand if desired, these forms may have their outer edge portions recessed as indicated at 28, so that the outer surfaces of these flanges 25 may lie substantially flush with the The baffles are also provided with holes 29 therein which are so located that when the baffles are in correct positions with reference tothe parts or sections of the forms, the holes 29 Will be in registration with the holes 2| of the strips or bars 20, so that the bolts 22 may be placed through these registering holes for securing together the sections of the tank and simultaneously holding the baiiies in place. In case the holes 29 in the partitions or baiiies are objectionable, patches can readily be cemented over these holes when the tanks are completed.

The baflies may, of course, be provided with any other apertures or fittings. For example, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the baffles may be provided with one-Way or flap valves 30 which control the passage of gas from one compartment of a tank to another. The baiiles may also be provided with apertures for receiving a substantially horizontal inlet or filling tube 3l of suitable form which may be inserted into the tank during the construction of the same. Similarly a vent pipe or other devices may extend through the partitions or baffles to equalize the air pressure in the various compartments of the tank.

After the baffles have been positioned in a breakable form, the construction of the tank or container may be started. The inner layer of material of thetank is first applied to the exterior of the breakable form in any suitable manner.

This layer may, for example,l be in the` form of anfabric impregnated or coated with a synthetic rubber or similar material which is inert With reference to and impermeable by gasoline, oil, or other liquid to be contained in the tank. This fabric may be cut into suitable pieces which may be applied t0 different sides of the breakable form, and the adjacent edges of the pieces may be cemented together to form a complete inner layer of lining of the container. The ttings to beinstalled on the container are also secured to thevinner layer by cementing or otherwise. For example, in Fig. 7, a fitting or Bange 35 for a hand hole is secured to the inner layer of material in any suitable manner, for example, by means of annular strips or pieces of material 36 which may be cemented to the inner layer of material yand to the fitting 35. In Fig. 8, another outlet fitting 38 is shown, and in this case, the inner layer of material and the ange 40 of the fitting 38 are connected by means of an annular piece or strip 39. As shown in Fig. 7, the fitting 35 is centered with reference to the hole or aperture I 4 in the wall 42 of the breakable building form. It will, of course, be understood that the outer surface of the breakable building form may be coated With soapstone, talc or any other material for preventing any of the layers of the tank or the cement employed for seaming together different portions of the tank, from adhering securely to the breakable building form.

It is also possible to form the inner layer of the tank by dipping the breakable building form into a suitable solution which upon evaporation of its solvent forms a film or sheet of material upon the outer surface of the form and which may constitute a layer of the container. If'a dipping process is employed, it Will of course, be obvious that the openings through the fittings must all be closed to prevent the liquid into which the form is dipped from flowing into the interior of the collapsible building form, and temporary closures, such as Wooden plugs or other closure devices may be employed for this purpose.

Obviously, of course, this inner layer of material of the tank may also be applied to the outer surface of the vbreakable form by spraying, painting, or otherwise applying the solution to the form, and if necessary, a number of successive applications of the solution may be made by repeating the operations of dipping, spraying, painting or the like, until the inner layer of the container is built up to the desired thickness.

If the inner layer of material i-s applied to the breakable form as a sheet or plurality of sheets to. be cemented together, it is possible to place on such a sheet the various fittings before the sheet is applied to the building form. This may, for example, be done by cutting the sheet of material with suitable correctly positioned apertures with reference to which the various fittings may be located and the sheet with the fittings applied thereto may then be placed on the breakable form. The fittings Will then all be in their correct positions independently of the apertures or holes in the form, but the holes or other indicia on the breakable form may be used for correctly positioning the sheet with fittings on the form. When the tank is built in this manner, the form may be used Without apertures or merely with depressions therein to receive the inwardly projecting portions of the fittings.

If the tank which is being built has partitions or baffles therein,` then the rst or inner layer of material of the tank or container is cemented.I

amasar.

7 or otherwise secured tothe outerv edges orange's' of the baffles, sothat baffles will'- bel securely held in their correct positions relatively tothe tank.

If the inner layer of material' ofthe tank' is of a type which protects other layersof the' tank from attack by the liquid kto be contained in the tank, then the inner layer of the tank is preferably tested for leaks before the other layers are applied thereto. By the.' use ofmy irn-v proved building forms, such tests can be readily made by plugging or closing all ofthe holes or openings ink the fittings and then testing this inner layer of the tank for leaks while on` the breakable building form. This may, for example, be done by applying air pressure 'to the interior of the inner layer of materiali and then' submerging in water the partly constructedtank on its breakable form, similarly to'. the method now commonly used ior testing inner tubes ofl tires for air leaks.

After the inner layer of material of theltank or container has been tested, thefremaining layers of` material may be applied to the tankV in any suitable or desired manner, either one layer at a time or by first securingfa number of? layers together and then applying a. group of layers'to the layers already placed on the breakable form. These various layers are cemented together in any suitable or well known manner so as to form a substantially unitary wall for the tank or container.

When the tank has been completely built on' the form, the form is broken in any suitable manner. Since the walls ofk the tank are i'leX- ible, the form can be broken by striking the' wall of the tank by means of a mallet or other blunt instrument or by merely applying pressure to a wall of the tank to break a portion of the building form. Diierent parts of' the tank may be struck or pressed inV this manner to break various parts of the form, and 'it is then possible to reach into the hand' holes |4- to re move fragments of the form through the hand` remove the boits 22 whichk secure the bracingl and attaching members 2Q' of adjacentsections` so that these members can be removed through the hand holes lli. Any ne particlesor pieces of material of the breakable forms Which' cannot be removed by hand from the tank orcontainer may be removed by any suitable suction' or vacuum duct which may be passed into the interior of the tank through the hand holes I4.

Ii desired, the interior of the tank mayfthen be` coated withany'suita'ble composition which is inert to the action of the liquid to be contained` in the tank, and this coating will alsoprevent' any small particles of dustwhich may remain' within the tank from contaminatingzthe' liquid which is to be stored in the tank.

The breakable building'form di! `illustrated yinV Fig. 9 is of unitary construction and may be made in the same manner as the sections ofnth'e form` illustrated in the preceding figures;

One or 8` the walls' of the" form may be secured tth'eotHer walls after completion of the form in* the mold by securing the same tothe other walls -by means of plaster, cement or the like. This type ofA formrnay also be made in two halves secured together in'v this manner. This form hasI ar hand hole IH in'- the upper Wallv thereof which i-s in registration withv the corresponding hand' hole in the tank or container, and' when this tank or container isv com'- pleted, the building forinis broken and the parts thereof are then removed through the hand hole o'f the container, as described in connection with the' sectionalform.

Building forms of the type described `have the advantage that they are inexpensive to produce and after` a tank or container is completed; the fragments of' the broken form can readily and qui'cldy beremoved from the container. The cost ofthe molds in which'l thebuilding forms' are made isi also comparatively lo'w' s'o-that' if changes in the designof the `tanks are made, new molds for pro#l ducing breakable forms of different shapes -a'ncl'- sizes can be made quickly and' with'out great expense; My improved'buildi'ng forms alsovfacilitate the accurateplacing of 'tt-ine's, baflie's'l and the like on the containers.

I-l claim asmy invention:

i. In a destructible hollow form' which in outside shape-and size'con'forms' to thei'sp'ace within having flexible side-walls andinte'rior bafliesmav' be constructed, said form being hollow and having relatively thin'V Walls adapted to be readily broken wher-lia container is completed, and-being constructed irl-sections i adapted; to bese'curedf to-4 geth'er; a baie arranged between two' adjacent sections andi having-ange's extending tothe exterior surfaces of saidbreak'able form into posi*-v tions t'obe securedI tothe walls of'an container to. be constructed about'said form, and'releasable means for'securi-ng saidsections incorrectoperative relation to each other.

BLA breakable form according to claim 2, in

which saidsectio'ns areprovid'ed with recesses in the outer surfaces-thereof adjoining the 'edge' por'- tions thereofinto whichthe--fla'nges ofsaid'baies fit, for' correctly positioning saidanges and saidl baffles on saidform-andto form smooth exterior' surfaces on said form;

4. A breakabl'e form about wl'ii'cl'- containers' rectly positioning adjacent sections relatively to" each other,` said-walls of said sections of' said forms having openings therein other than those defining said open sides, through whichsaid brace ing members may; be secured together and through.' whichl said members may be removedvr whensaid' container is completed.'-

5; A breakable form according to claimv 4', in

whichthe bracing and" attaching 'members have" apertures therein, the apertures of one attaching member being in registration with the apertures of an attaching member of an adjacent section when said sections are in correct positions relatively to each other, and releasable securing members adapted to extend through said aber tures for securing the attaching members of adjacent sections in xed relation to each other.

FRANCIS W. BLANCHARD.

REFERENCES CITED The foiiowing references are of record. in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Meyer Nov. 19, 1889 Gregory June 6, 1905 Bennett et a1. Aug. 29, 1911 Dykes Sept. 23, 1924 Dreyfus Oct. 15, 1940 Greneker Mar. 7, 1944 Scharenberg Oct. 24, 1944 Greneker Dec. 12, 19411 Greneker Feb. 20, 1945 Cline Apr. 24, 1945 

